The Beach
by epiphanies
Summary: In seventh year, Dumbledore brings the class to the beach! Fun, laughs and feelings? Ooh! *Review or painful death awaits you*
1. Default Chapter

The Beach

  
  
  
  


Writer's Notes:

(Prologue)

  
  


Dumbledore is letting everyone go on a day trip to a near beach (which is an ocean...) In the last month of seventh year for Harry, Ron and Hermione. It is a beautiful, sunny day with a cool breeze but it's really nice to swim in. At the moment, nobody is "involved" with anyone, but there are certain feelings that are being smothered and/or ignored.

  
  


Have Fun!

  
  


Luv,

  
  


~Emma~


	2. Chapter 1

The Beach

Chapter One

  
  
  
  


"....and so, there I was, covered in blood, which I don't even know if it was mine or not, and he started to smoke at the ears, and I took a deep breath and lunged at him...."

Hermione sighed, and snuggled herself deeper into her towel.

Ron had told this story to everyone how many times now?

And how many revisions had there been?

She began to listen again to resume the counting.

"....and then, after I had chopped his head off," (six) "I ran over to her, breathless and still covered in blood, and she grabbed me," (seven) "and kissed me. I mean, really kissed me!" (eight...) Ron sighed dreamily, "Boy, was she ever something. I mean, me all covered in blood and she didn't care! Most girls would just say that was gross, but no! She just grabbed me and kissed me...."

Hermione exchanged a look with Harry, who was sitting across from her, and was obviously also trying to cover his amusement at Ron's vivid imagination.

"So," said Hermione, stretching her legs out on the Mexican Blanket, "what do you say we go for a swim? I mean, we didn't come here just to talk, did we?"

Harry nodded in agreement, and looked at Ron, who looked slightly put out.

"Yeah, yeah sure." he said reluctantly, and started to get up.

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil sat up in quick synchronisation and held out there hands hungrily to help Ron up.

Hermione could see him glowing in his mind as he smiled at the two girls offering their hands.

"No thanks, ladies. I can get up on my own..." he grinned as he stood up quickly, and they stared dreamily at him.

Then he clutched his head for a moment, and his eyes slid out of focus for a moment.

Then he stood still, and shook his head.

Hermione stifled a giggle, "Get up too fast there, hero?"

Ron glared at her for a moment, then turned to Harry.

"Let's try out the waves, eh?"

Harry nodded and waved at Hermione to come.

She went red in the face.

She'd forgotten about...

Her new bathing suit...

Oh, this should be quite interesting...

  
  


Hermione started giggling profusely as she stared at herself in the mirror.

Parvati and Lavender just looked in awe.

"What....wow. That suit is so cute! You have to get it, Hermione!" Lavender finally breathed.

Hermione looked at herself from every angle in the mirror.

It did suit her...

Her body.

But did it suit her personality was another...

The suit was a pale pink, two piece and very revealing. Lavender had picked it out for herself, but it "hadn't looked quite right".

Just then, she saw a male figure in the mirror behind her.

An openmouthed, very good looking male figure.

Once he realized he'd been caught, he went red in the face and ducked out of the Witch Shop before Hermione could even blush.

After that, she decided, who cares about my personality....this is getting me places...

She smiled to herself and went back into the change room to get back into her robes.

She changed and got out, pulling out six Galleons, smiling brightly at her amazed roommates. 

  
  


Ron stared at her.

"Come on," he said impatiently.

"Ok," Hermione rolled her eyes self consciously, and quickly, avoiding everyone's gazes, pulled off her white cover-up shirt.

She didn't look up as she walked quickly over to her two friends, and didn't until she heard a spluttering noise once she was beside them.

She looked up.

It was Ron.

"Oh, uh...um...Hermione....yeah. Let's...let's go in." he stammered, and Hermione turned to see Harry trying to recover from a pitch red face.

"Yeah."

Hermione rolled her eyes again, but was thinking in her brain, Was I just checked out by my two best friends? Why else would they be red in the face like that....!

She stepped tentatively into the water, and her eyes widened when she felt how warm it was.

"Wow, if this were any warmer, it would be a bath!" she exclaimed, and immediately splashed further into the water.

Harry followed her, all expression free from his face.

But Ron stood by the water's edge, his face stuck in a position of horror.

"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked concernedly.

"C-c-cold." he chattered, wrapping his arms around himself.

Hermione laughed freely.

"Yeah, sure Ron. Good one."

Ron glared at her again, and stomped up to where Lavender and Parvati lay, tanning, on the beach.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked Harry, turning to him with a look of utter disbelief on her face.

Harry shrugged, grinning.

Hermione eyed him for a moment, then rose out of the water, arms crossed.

"You know something I don't, don't you?"

"Yup." he grinned, "but don't feel so bad. He doesn't know either."

"Who doesn't know either?"

"Ron."

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me what you know that I, we don't."

"Nope, that's your business."

"What!?"

Harry laughed.

"You are so easy to mess with."

Hermione giggled, then assumed the serious face again.

"No, Harry...really! Tell me!"

"Nope."

"YES!"

"No."

"Harry!"

"No."

Hermione sighed, annoyed.

Why were boys so annoying?


	3. Chapter 2

The Beach

Chapter 2

  
  
  
  


Hermione lay down on her blanket, and stretched her arms out.

Then she closed her eyes. She'd forgotten how much she loved the beach, how much she loved the feeling of the hot sun's rays on her bare skin.

She adjusted the straps of her pink suit slightly, and then noticed that Ron was staring at her. He went beet red and turned away to talk to Lavender again, who had just asked him playfully to smother her with tanning oil. 

Hermione didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed. Why were Lavender and Parvati going after Ron? It seemed so weird...usually they just made fun of him when he did things wrong and kept quiet when he did things right. Now they made a great big deal about everything he did.

Could they actually believe the stories he had told them?

Hermione started to laugh as he saw Dean, Neville and Seamus giving Ron glowering looks. 

They're probably angry that he's getting all the attention, she though, smiling at the three.

Neville went pitch red and Seamus smiled back uncertainly. Dean wasn't paying attention, he was too busy watching Lavender flirt with Ron.

"So, guys, why don't you tan? I mean, you have to look good for graduation..." Hermione trailed, sitting up slightly on her elbows.

"I burn easily," said Neville, embarrassed, and Seamus just laughed.

Harry, Hermione noticed, was also watching Ron with rapt attention as he playfully grinned at Parvati.

He can't be into her? Hermione thought, fighting off the urge to burst with laughter.

But it was so obvious. Dean liked Lavender and Harry liked Parvati. And for the rest, well, Ron liked everybody and she had no idea what she or Neville or Seamus were thinking. They were just hanging out with the crowd, nobody special in mind.

"Hey," said Seamus suddenly, "Any of you ever been surfing?"

Hermione grinned. Viktor Krum had taught her that when they went to his magical vacation spot in Bulgaria the summer after her fourth year. She had perfected the sport quite easily.

"Well, I'd like to see you try to beat me." Hermione said slyly to Seamus, who grinned back at her.

"Oh, yeah?"

Hermione nodded and quickly conjured two red surfboards.

"Anyone else willing to try?" Seamus challenged, but the rest of the group stayed silent as they headed out towards the waves.

"We head out and then we'll see who stays on the longest." Seamus explained, but Hermione held up a knowing hand. 

"I know how to do this, Seamus. Just watch the master."

Once they were far out enough to get started, Hermione quickly jumped onto her board. The first few waves were rough and she had a little trouble keeping balance, but she stayed on none the less. Seamus was far away beside her, and he seemed to be struggling to keep aboard.

She laughed, "Need help, Seamus?" she called out and he grinned at her.

Just then, a huge wave came up behind him and he flew off the board and out of sight.

Hermione instantly stopped laughing. Where had he gone?

She felt her heart pound with relief as she saw his bobbing head and waving arm.

That was close.

She stayed on the board until she reached shore, where she met Ron, grinning like a maniac.

"That was so cool!" he exclaimed, then he hugged her.

She froze. 

Then he, realizing what he was doing, pulled back quickly, his face red.

"Well, yeah. It was really cool." he said quietly, and took the surfboard from her so that she could squeeze out her hair.

Once Seamus trudged up the bank, he high fived her.

"Good on you, Hermione!" he said enthusiastically, "Where did you learn to surf?"

She flashed a smile at he and Ron, "Krum. Viktor Krum. He was amazing, he taught me a few summers ago."

Ron suddenly looked very angry.

He stalked back to where his groupies sat and Hermione gaped at Harry, who merely shrugged with an amused look on his face.

She ran up to Harry, and whispered, "Ok, tell me now, Harry. Please!?" she whined, wrapping a towel around her torso.

"No." he said simply, "You have to figure it out on your own."

Hermione felt like screaming.

"Ugh, never mind." she said dryly as she sat down on the white, smooth sand.

She yawned, and then leaned back to a lying down position.

"I'm so tired." she said, stifling another long yawn.

"No kidding. What relaxing can do to you, eh?" Harry winked at her.

She smiled slightly.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not tired at all." Lavender said, poking Ron playfully in the middle of his ribs.

Ron glowed a reddish purple, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. It was fun seeing him squirm.

I wonder how he'd react if I treated him like that, she thought, then her eyes widened. Where had that thought come from?

"Ok, guys, you want burgers?" said a voice from behind them.

There stood Padma Patil, Parvati's sister.

She looked bored, "The teachers sent me out scouting for those of us who prefer to eat rather than starve ourselves." she shot a meaningful glance at Parvati and continued, "So if anybody wants anything, tell me now."

Hermione ordered a burger with just lettuce on it, and the rest of the group (excluding Parvati) ordered too.

"Parvati, what was she talking about?" said Hermione quietly to her flirty friend. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her eat in weeks. Was she really starving herself? And she was looking considerably thinner.

She shifted uncomfortably, "I prefer not to talk about it, please Hermione."

Hermione gave her a look that plainly said "I disapprove, and don't think we're not going to talk about this later.".

Once the burgers arrived, they were neatly wrapped.

Hermione opened hers to see to her disgust, relish, ketchup, mustard, pumpkin seeds, lettuce and onions.

"Ew," she said, "Does anybody have mine? Just lettuce?"

"Right here," said Ron, looking at his with equal disgust.

As they passed each's burger to each other, their fingertips touched.

Hermione's eyes widened as she felt the shiver up her spine.

Ron looked slightly fazed too, but didn't say anything. 

Harry was grinning at her.

What was going on?


End file.
